Fluid actuated integrator



Nov. 13, 1951 E F. STOVER FLUID ACTUATED INTEGRATOR Filed Nov. 26; 1945 'IIIIIIIIII'IIA 'II'IIIIIIIII .P\ mm. m W

M M F W M r Patented Nov. 13, 1951 fl S TATE'S IPATE N T "OfF-"F -I CE AcrUA'rEn iNTEGRAToR *EmormFrankS-tover, awynnewood, Pa. siifilicatiniiwovemter 2s, imfs'eriai No. 630,969

"Ihis 'invention relates to integrate-mandarin fspecifically to apparatus for 'continuou'sly integrating a variable quantityjbuch "as theprs- 'siire of "a fluid, to be measured.

"Ihis invention 'further relates to apparatus for integrating quantities 'whichjare directly '"prop'ortional to theniea'sured quantity or {which "are proportional to the *square root of the measured quantity. The pparatus of the present "invention 1 also contemplates "alternative operation, "as desired, fo integration in "accordancewith the ;charac- Eteristics "of the "quantity to be integrated. V

The apparatus of "the present inventionalso contemplatesthe' utilizatiomof a 'sepa'ra-te "source Foff fluid under pressure, with the "pressure from the-source controlled by a; quantity,-s'uch*' as fluid *i'inderpre'ssure; determined by-another variable.

"Thenatur'e and"characteristic features (if-the invention winbe "inorereadny understoodfrom the following description, taken in connection ""with Pthe accompanying drawings forming part "hereoflinwh'ichz a I i Q QFi g'uIe" 1 1S a*secnonar-view'of the inte gratr, 'ftakn approximately' onthe line-j H "2, andshowing"apreferred embodiment of 'the changes may be made in the structure disblosed l 'without departing from-the spirit nf-the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

in the particular "embodiment 'of the invention illust'rated, a casing l is' provided, consisting or a front endplate II, a rear end plate l2=-and a cylindrical wall l3 -secured together in fiu id F5 Glaims. (Cl. 73-206) "tight relationshipsu'ch as-byscrews 14- and -li.

The front end plate has a fiexibleimetallic be'llo'ws l6 Secured thereto in fluid" tight rela- 'tmns'hip. The rear 'end'of the {bellows I IG- is *cl'o's'ed by a plate lTto' provide a cha'rnber 18.

'same effectivearea as the bellows [6. if desired 'a flange 2| on the bellows- 20 maybe-clamped between the end "plate -12 and the cylindrical "wall l3. The front end er the bellows 20 is closed by a plate '22 to provide a chambe'r 23. The space within the c'ylin'drical "wall l3 and "outside thejbellows l6 and zfl provides a cham- 'ber24.

The bellows plates l1 ana -22:ereprererably rigidly connected'by a yolie 25 for s'imu1taneous movement thereof.

A fluid connection 26 "is provided, in 1 communication with the'interior of the chamber23 for the application in the chamber 23' of a variable fluid pressure. --This"' variable fluid pressure may be an indicating pressure or a pressure transmitted from a meter-or from any-other desired source corresponding to thequantity to be integrated, the integrator being particularly adapted for use-as a remot'ely 'located integrating device functioning in connection with first power pressures from" any suitable source such as a flow meter.

A fluid connection 2"! is provided. preferably connected to asuitablesource of pressure fluid,

and the fluid connection zlincludes' a supply --"pipe 28 extending' within'the chamber 24 and within the yokec25. 'The supply pipe 28, preferably has a port 29. The yoke ZS'carries-a' needle valve '30, which by its positioning *with'respect to-the port- 29,-controls the pressure ofthe fluid supplied to the chamber 24.

'In order to provide the desired zero-setting, a

spring 3] is mountedwithin the bellows Zlland bears at one end against-a springabutment 32 carried by the interior of the plate 22 and at the other end one spring-abutment carried-by an adjusting screw 34 mounted in therear end plate l2. The adjusting screw- 34- is "covered in-any desired manner, such as by a cap 35, to prevent fluid leakage. I The front end plate ll preferably has mounted therein a laminar .flow' tube 36, of predetermined effective length, the inner'end of which is in communication with the interior of' the chamber I8 and the outerend' Of Which is adapted to discharge against' an anemometer wheel '31 for actuation thereof, as hereinafter explained.

A passageway 38 is provided; preferably in the end plate ll, between the laminar flow tube'3ii and the chamber lBfterminatin'g at thelaminar 'flow tube 36f -at an-"opening'orgap 39.

Anothertube lfl is provided-having a nozzle "dl at the-outer "or f-ront 'end theredf, incomfibn's'hip. 1 The bellow/5 20 is preierably of the35 :mumcauomwim tee mtenoebathe -thamber 24,

and with the nozzle 4| disposed to discharge against the anemometer wheel 31.

In order to adapt the apparatus for integration of a variable which is a first or second power function of the quantity to be measured, by selection of the tube 36 or the tube 40, a cap 42 is provided for covering and closing off either of these tubes as desired.

The anemometer wheel 3! is preferably mounted on a shaft 43', which may be journaled at one end in the front end plate H and at the other end in a bracket 44 which is mounted on the end plate H. The shaft 43 is connected by suitable gearing 45 to a counter 46 having visible indicia 41.

The mode of operation will now be explained. Assume first that the tube 46 is closed off, by the cap 42 and that the tube 36 discharges fluid against the Wheel 31.

Fluid is supplied through the fluid connection 21 and the supply pipe 28 to the chamber 24 at a pressure in accordance with the positioning of the needle valve 30 with respect to the port 29. The needle valve 30 is controlled by the pressures effective in the chambers l8 and 23 on the bellows l6 and 26. The variable or reference pressure is efiective in the chamber 23 and an increase thereof tends to move the needle valve 39 to increase the pressure effective in the chamber 24. The pressure prevailing in the laminar flow tube 36 at the gap 39 under steady state conditions, is the same as that in the chamber is in the interior of the bellows l6, and in opposition to the pressure in the chamber 23. As a transient condition, during change of pressure in chamber 23, fluid will flow through passageway 33 until the pressures are equalized in chamber l8 and'at the gap 39. Fluid is also discharged through the laminar flow tube 36 against the anemometer wheel 31 for actuating the same.

In laminar flow all fluid particles move in parallel lines without crosswise mixing, and the pressure loss or drop due to friction is directly proportional to the first power of the average velocity in the cross section of the tube. Thus, the velocity of the jet discharged from the laminar flow tube 36 and the speed of the wheel 31 are proportional to first power of the fluid pressure effective in the chamber 23.

Upon a change in the pressure in the chamber 23 the needle valve 36- is positioned in accordance with the change to vary the pressures eflective in the chamber 24 and in the chamber l8 together with the flow in the laminar flow tube 36. The

pressure in the chamber I8 is thus increased or 1 decreased in accordance with the change in the chamber 23 until the pressure in the chambers 18 and 23 are equal as before.

The peripheral speed of the wheel 31 is then proportional to the pressure effective in the chamber 23 and this, as heretofore stated, is proportional to the quantity to be measured. The revolutions of the anemometer wheel 3'! are shown by the indicia of the counter. Accordingly, if the quantity to be measured is. represented by q, then the accumulated count on the counter 2!] equals J'qdt.

Assume now that the cap is removed from the outer end of the tube 46 and is placed on the outer end or the laminar flow tube 36, so as to permit fluid to discharge from the tube against the anemometer wheel3l and to prevent discharge from the laminar flow tube 36. The

velocity of the fluid discharged through the tube 40 is proportional to the square root of the pressure in the chamber 23.

Upon a change in the pressure in the chamber 23 the needle valve 30 is positioned to vary the pressures eifective in the chamber 24 and in the chamber 18. The pressure in the chamber 24 is effective for determining the velocity of discharge through the tube and against the anemometer wheel 31. The velocity of the jet from the tube 46 is thus proportional to the square root of the variable or reference pressure efiective in the chamber 23.

I claim:

1. In an integrator, a connection to a source of pressure fluid, a chamber with which said connection is in communication, means responsive to a variable quantity to be integrated, valve means controlled by said responsive means for controlling the pressure of the fluid from said connection to said chamber, a laminar flow tube .having one end in communication with said chamber for the discharge of fluid therefrom in jet form at a velocity proportional to the first power of the variable quantity, and counter means including a movable member alinecl with the discharge end of said tube. r

2. In an integrator, a connection to a source of pressure fluid, a chamber with which said connection is in communication, means responsive to a variable quantity to be integrated, valve means controlled by said responsive means for controlling the pressure of the fluid supplied from said connection to said chamber, a laminar flow tube having one end in communication with said chamber for the discharge of fluid therefrom, a fluid connection in communication with said tube intermediate the ends thereof for applying a pressure on said responsive means in opposition to the force applied by said variable quantity, and counter means actuated by the discharge from said tube.

3. In an integrator, a casing having achanb ber therein an expansible chamber member in said casing, a connection to a source of pressure fluid in communication with said chamber, valve means controlled b said expansible chamber member and controlling the supplying of fluid from said connection to said chamber, means for applying a variable to be integrated against said expansible chamber member, a laminar flow tube having one end in communication with said chamber for the discharge of fluid from said chamber in jet form at a velocity proportional to the first power, of said variable, a movable member in the path of the jet from said tube and counting mechanism actuated by said movable member.

4. In an integrator, a casing having a chamber therein, an expansible chamber member in said casing, a second expansible chamber member in said casing connected to saidflrst expansible chamber member for movement therewith, a connection to a source of pressure fluid in communication with said chamber, valve means controlled by said expansible chamber members and controlling the fluid from said connection to said chamber, means for applying a variable pressure to be integrated against said flrst expansible chamber member, a laminar flow tube having its inlet end in communication with said chamber for the discharge of fluid therefrom, a fluid connection from said laminar flow tube intermediate the ends thereof to said second expansible chamber member for applying fluid (5. against said second expansible chamber member.

and means including counting mechanism actuated by the discharge of fluid from said laminar flow tube.

5. In an integrator, a casing having a chamber therein, an expansible chamber member in said casing, a second expansible chamber member in said casing connected to said first expansible chamber member for movement therewith a connection to a source of pressure fluid in communication with said chamber, valve means controlled by said expansible chamber members and controlling the fluid from said connection to said chamber, means for applying a variable pressure to be integrated against said first expansible chamber member, a laminar flow tube having its inlet end in communication with said chamber for the discharge of fluid therefrom at a velocity proportional to the first power of the variable quantity, a fluid connection from said laminar flow tube intermediate the ends thereof to said second expansible chamber member for applying fluid against said second expansible chamber member to position said members at equilibrium positions, and means including counting mechanism actuated by the discharge of fluid from said laminar flow tube.

EMORY FRANK STOVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,724 Davison Feb. 10, 1925 1,905,401 Moller Apr. 25, 1933 1,992,343 Ahnstrom Feb. 26, 1935 2,044,806 Naiman June 23, 1936 

